We make use of cookies to enhance your user experience. By clicking "OK" without altering your cookie preferences, you are giving us your consent to use cookies. For further information, please read our information on the use of cookies.OK

Half-term report: Borussia Dortmund

vor 2 Stunden

Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp (3rd l.) saw his side fall from top of the table to fourth in a disappointing Striker Robert Lewandowski was Dortmund's main man once again with 11 goals putting him atop the scoring chartsPierre-Emerick Aubameyang only got to show glimpses of his quality, and more can be expected from the Gabon international in the second half of the season

Munich - Thrice stung by FC Bayern last season, Borussia Dortmund had intentions of winning back their throne as Germany's strongest side in 2013/14.

Those pre-season resolutions appeared to be justified when they beat Bayern to lift the DFL Supercup, before a five-game winning start to the campaign saw them blazing a trail at the top of the table. As bundesliga.com details, however, not everything went according to plan for die Schwarz-Gelben in the first half of the season.

The season could hardly have started better for Dortmund, who won 4-0 at FC Augsburg on the opening day and were top of the league until Matchday 8. Injuries have taken their toll on the 2012 double-winners, however, and they ended the year on the back of three consecutive league defeats, a run the club had not suffered since March 2000. They have now slipped to fourth at the halfway stage, a whopping 12 points behind leaders Bayern.

Dortmund fans may be disappointed by Robert Lewandowski's confirmed move to Bayern in the summer, but one thing they cannot fault him for is his dedication and relentless goalscoring. The Polish international is joint-top of the leaderboard for goals scored so far this season, with eleven strikes to his name, including a hat-trick against VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 11.

With 19 points in seven games, Dortmund made their best ever start to a season in the club's history. The ten games since then have not been so bountiful, however, with just 15 points amassed. Poor finishing was one of the reasons, and the defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach laid this statistic bare: 27 shots on goal compared to six, yet the Foals won 2-0. A topsy-turvy year so far...

"It's just tragic. There's no point in me worrying about how we can do things better when I don't even know who we've got to do things better with." Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp was as dumbfounded about his side's injury misery as he was about finding a solution for it. The Westphalians lost their entire defensive line due to injury at one stage of the season.

began his Dortmund career in sublime fashion with a hat-trick, yet he has remained only a bit-part player so far this season with Klopp unable to offer him a regular starting berth. A man faster than Usain Bolt over the first 30 yards has the explosiveness to cause any Bundesliga defence problems, and now he has found his feet in German football, more regular appearances than cameos can be expected. Still, blink and you'll miss him.

Free!

Get the Bundesliga newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up today!